Digicel’s Roaming Rates – A Sigh of Relief for Travelers

26/08/2016 12:32

Consumers travelling to seven destinations can now talk to their loved ones without any hassle of changing sim cards or worrying about hefty bills to clear after their holiday. Now, with Digicel’s roaming charges – high roaming bills would be a thing of the past.

Digicel has made it easier for its pre-pay customers to make calls, send SMS, and access internet while roaming in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Nauru.

This was long overdue as Fijians have been paying ridiculously exorbitant roaming charges when compared to many countries where roaming charges are being slashed for consumers. For instance, the mass reductions in roaming charges being offered in EU member states this year. Throughout EU the cost for calls, text and data is capped – to put a stop to excessive prices.

Digicel’s new ‘Roam like You’re Home’ service is commendable because Fijian consumers will not go through “bill shock” now that communication with colleagues, friends, and relatives will be much cheaper. Digicel pre-pay customers will be now charged 42 cents per minute to make and receive calls, 24 cents to send SMS, and 21 cents per MB while roaming in these seven countries.

This is a big breakthrough in the roaming rates and we hope other telecommunication providers will also reduce their roaming charges. For instance, Vodafone prepay customers will still be paying $5.12 per minute to call Fiji from Australia or New Zealand, and will be forking out $1.26 per SMS and $18.95 per MB to access internet while roaming.

The Council has been calling for reduction in roaming charges for many years now. In 2014 while campaigning on ‘Fix Our Phone Rights’ during the World Consumer Rights Day, the Council insisted for the roaming charges to be reduced to be in line with what was happening globally.

We had also urged the telecommunication companies to provide clear information on international roaming charges as a number of consumers had expressed concern over it.